Swan Lake, Matthew Bourne version
Yes, I know this was a good week or so ago. Shush.
Swan Lake review
Right. Swan Lake, Matthew Bourne version, aka the male / gay Swan Lake.
It's partially a commentary on royal attitudes and facades, not to mention expectations both familial and the media's. Young prince stifled by all the expectations of his family bearing down on him, (it's making him a bit of a nervous wreck) combined with his mother who never wants any physical or emotional contact with him. This isn't helped by her penchant for pretty young soldier boys or the chancellor sensing that the boy is not exactly straight (there's a great moment at the beginning where they unveil a new statue where the prince stands there in a moment of appreciation) and drafting in a girl to be the official girlfriend.
The first act? So bloody funny. A lot of this is down to the girlfriend, who's gauche, says things at the wrong moment, wears her skirts too short (though is also a bit of an innocent), and has no idea how to behave in public if you're royal, ie no emotional reserve. There's a bit in which they go to the ballet which she spends clapping too much, eating maltesers, getting distracted, her mobile goes off, and then she drops her handbag out of the box and tries to surreptitiously get it back.
Prince escapes from formal whatsit, goes off to nightclub, where he sticks out like a lemon and then gets into a fight while everyone boogies, including the girlfriend, who's actually been paid by the chancellor to ignore him, feeling very guilty about it. (considering there was one in Highland Fling, I think Bourne may have a thing for nightclubs) Gets booted out, sits in the gutter while everyone pairs off and staggers home, and then goes off to the park. Where he decides to top himself.
Except he gets distracted by the swans. Pretty, pretty swans, with lovely choreography and not a tutu in sight. Lots of bare chests, though. :g: Special mention goes to the dancer from Hong Kong, who we labelled immediately as 'enjoying himself too much', as he spent practically the entire production with a big grin on his face or on the verge of giggling. And mmmph, swans as this thing of sheer power and muscle and strength makes so much more sense than lovely and fragile. (remember the whole breaking your arm thing?)
Then comes The Swan. Jesus fucking christ. I didn't think male ballet dancers were built that big. As Taz said, built like a brick shithouse. Adam Cooper, who originated the role, certainly isn't, and there's an obvious difference in build between this bloke and the corps. Mind you, you think of the amounts of lifts he has to do with the Prince (who is admittedly a bit skinny) and it makes sense. Also very much of the hot. Dancing between him and the Prince, which is a kind of 'hmm, interesting' -> skittish courtship rather fabulous, with the corps coming in and out and Prince dancing for sheer joy and imitating the swans.
Next act is the ball. Lots of foriegn princesses doing the sexy thing and flirting with as many people as possible, then getting into arguments with their escorts. Dancing. Then comes Leather Trousers boy, as played by the Swan, only a darker version who would quite clearly shag anyone who's up for it. *Very* tight black leather trousers, black shirt, and black trench. Mmmph. Also known as 'is it hot in here or is it just me?' Clearly uninvited, the chancellor gets into a snit, but all the girls, including the Queen, ae riveted and vie for his attentions. Lots of dancing. :g: Prince comes back in, sees leather trousers boy, who's a dead ringer for the Swan, dancing with his mum. See jealousy begin... now. Leather trousers begins taunting him and not being interested, but this transmutes into taunting him with immense amounts of eye-fucking, not to mention the time he gets some charcoal and draws a line down his face that's very reminiscent of the make-up the swans wear. Girlfriend (now clearly ex and out of favour with chancellor) goes and proves her naivety by queuing up for a dance with leather trews, and then gets caught up in this sexy dancing she can't quite cope with while Prince dances with one of the princesses. Cue... dear fucking god. The most blatant display of eye-fucking you've ever seen. And I include every single slashable tv show I've ever seen. They may be theoretically dancing with the girls, but they're focussed on each other and won't stop eyefucking. Girls are just props to enable them to keep dancing.
Everyone else buggers off to go see something else, leaving prince and leather trews to themselves. Cue dancing with each other, though oddly, prince is torn between fighting it and throwing himself into it. Audience clearly thinking he's a twit. Aside from the burn the floor-ness of it, we also get a brief kiss. Also known as 'squeee!'.
Everyone comes back in, Prince gets ignored again. We also get the Spanish contingent doing a flamenco exhibition. Eventually Prince gets peeved enough to start acting up, and making a scene. Everyone starts acting like he's gone spare. Muchos pushing and shoving, girlfriend tries to separate them, then Chancellor brings out a gun to shoot the prince, only girlfriend gets in the way of the bullet.
Prince gets chucked in nuthouse, with some very scary stuff with nurses, plus a recurring bit of his mother not being able to connect with or touch him.
After he gets out, he's put to bed. Cue the swans appearing from under his bed - somewhat creepy, but damn impressive. Dancing, which is far less joyous than in the park. More aggressive and otherworldly. Prince is pretty much huddled off to one side for this. The Swan appears, and after some dancing between him and the Prince, the swans pretty much turn on them, first tearing them apart, and then alternately beating them up. It's pretty awful when you see the Prince huddled half-dead on the floor and the Swan trying to get to him, walking wounded. No explanation is given for this, it just happens. Eventually the Swan manages to get the Prince back on his bed, where they both die, huddled up together. Come morning, the Queen discovers her dead son on the bed, and finally does what she couldn't previously, which is hug him and weep.
Last image is the Swan at the window above the Prince's bed, carrying the Prince in his arms, Queen still weeping on the bed in the room. Definite meep. The image is somewhat similar to the last sight of James once he's turned into a sylph in Highland Fling - ghostly, outside looking in.
Swan Lake review
Right. Swan Lake, Matthew Bourne version, aka the male / gay Swan Lake.
It's partially a commentary on royal attitudes and facades, not to mention expectations both familial and the media's. Young prince stifled by all the expectations of his family bearing down on him, (it's making him a bit of a nervous wreck) combined with his mother who never wants any physical or emotional contact with him. This isn't helped by her penchant for pretty young soldier boys or the chancellor sensing that the boy is not exactly straight (there's a great moment at the beginning where they unveil a new statue where the prince stands there in a moment of appreciation) and drafting in a girl to be the official girlfriend.
The first act? So bloody funny. A lot of this is down to the girlfriend, who's gauche, says things at the wrong moment, wears her skirts too short (though is also a bit of an innocent), and has no idea how to behave in public if you're royal, ie no emotional reserve. There's a bit in which they go to the ballet which she spends clapping too much, eating maltesers, getting distracted, her mobile goes off, and then she drops her handbag out of the box and tries to surreptitiously get it back.
Prince escapes from formal whatsit, goes off to nightclub, where he sticks out like a lemon and then gets into a fight while everyone boogies, including the girlfriend, who's actually been paid by the chancellor to ignore him, feeling very guilty about it. (considering there was one in Highland Fling, I think Bourne may have a thing for nightclubs) Gets booted out, sits in the gutter while everyone pairs off and staggers home, and then goes off to the park. Where he decides to top himself.
Except he gets distracted by the swans. Pretty, pretty swans, with lovely choreography and not a tutu in sight. Lots of bare chests, though. :g: Special mention goes to the dancer from Hong Kong, who we labelled immediately as 'enjoying himself too much', as he spent practically the entire production with a big grin on his face or on the verge of giggling. And mmmph, swans as this thing of sheer power and muscle and strength makes so much more sense than lovely and fragile. (remember the whole breaking your arm thing?)
Then comes The Swan. Jesus fucking christ. I didn't think male ballet dancers were built that big. As Taz said, built like a brick shithouse. Adam Cooper, who originated the role, certainly isn't, and there's an obvious difference in build between this bloke and the corps. Mind you, you think of the amounts of lifts he has to do with the Prince (who is admittedly a bit skinny) and it makes sense. Also very much of the hot. Dancing between him and the Prince, which is a kind of 'hmm, interesting' -> skittish courtship rather fabulous, with the corps coming in and out and Prince dancing for sheer joy and imitating the swans.
Next act is the ball. Lots of foriegn princesses doing the sexy thing and flirting with as many people as possible, then getting into arguments with their escorts. Dancing. Then comes Leather Trousers boy, as played by the Swan, only a darker version who would quite clearly shag anyone who's up for it. *Very* tight black leather trousers, black shirt, and black trench. Mmmph. Also known as 'is it hot in here or is it just me?' Clearly uninvited, the chancellor gets into a snit, but all the girls, including the Queen, ae riveted and vie for his attentions. Lots of dancing. :g: Prince comes back in, sees leather trousers boy, who's a dead ringer for the Swan, dancing with his mum. See jealousy begin... now. Leather trousers begins taunting him and not being interested, but this transmutes into taunting him with immense amounts of eye-fucking, not to mention the time he gets some charcoal and draws a line down his face that's very reminiscent of the make-up the swans wear. Girlfriend (now clearly ex and out of favour with chancellor) goes and proves her naivety by queuing up for a dance with leather trews, and then gets caught up in this sexy dancing she can't quite cope with while Prince dances with one of the princesses. Cue... dear fucking god. The most blatant display of eye-fucking you've ever seen. And I include every single slashable tv show I've ever seen. They may be theoretically dancing with the girls, but they're focussed on each other and won't stop eyefucking. Girls are just props to enable them to keep dancing.
Everyone else buggers off to go see something else, leaving prince and leather trews to themselves. Cue dancing with each other, though oddly, prince is torn between fighting it and throwing himself into it. Audience clearly thinking he's a twit. Aside from the burn the floor-ness of it, we also get a brief kiss. Also known as 'squeee!'.
Everyone comes back in, Prince gets ignored again. We also get the Spanish contingent doing a flamenco exhibition. Eventually Prince gets peeved enough to start acting up, and making a scene. Everyone starts acting like he's gone spare. Muchos pushing and shoving, girlfriend tries to separate them, then Chancellor brings out a gun to shoot the prince, only girlfriend gets in the way of the bullet.
Prince gets chucked in nuthouse, with some very scary stuff with nurses, plus a recurring bit of his mother not being able to connect with or touch him.
After he gets out, he's put to bed. Cue the swans appearing from under his bed - somewhat creepy, but damn impressive. Dancing, which is far less joyous than in the park. More aggressive and otherworldly. Prince is pretty much huddled off to one side for this. The Swan appears, and after some dancing between him and the Prince, the swans pretty much turn on them, first tearing them apart, and then alternately beating them up. It's pretty awful when you see the Prince huddled half-dead on the floor and the Swan trying to get to him, walking wounded. No explanation is given for this, it just happens. Eventually the Swan manages to get the Prince back on his bed, where they both die, huddled up together. Come morning, the Queen discovers her dead son on the bed, and finally does what she couldn't previously, which is hug him and weep.
Last image is the Swan at the window above the Prince's bed, carrying the Prince in his arms, Queen still weeping on the bed in the room. Definite meep. The image is somewhat similar to the last sight of James once he's turned into a sylph in Highland Fling - ghostly, outside looking in.